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The Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan to Lose Weight
The menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight is designed for the 70% of women who experience weight gain during perimenopause and menopause and struggling to understand why they can no longer lose weight by simply cutting calories.
As women approach perimenopause a combination of declining hormone levels, especially estrogen, result in hormone imbalances and start a cascade of changes.
These hormonal changes combined with the aging process create the perfect storm for weight gain during perimenopause and menopause. The resulting weight gain is caused by multiple factors including a slower metabolism and changing fat distribution.
Hormone changes also affect how the body breaks down fats to be used for energy. Studies show that this process, known as fat oxidation, can slow down and decrease by as much as 32% by the time women are post menopause.
Hormone imbalances can also impact diet preferences, increase cravings, and increase insulin sensitivity, making balanced eating more challenging.
These combination of changes very often lead to increased menopause belly fat, reduced muscle mass, increased visceral fat and increased metabolic health risks. There is often difficulty maintaining a healthy weight and weight loss can even feel almost impossible for some menopausal women.
While nutrition is key to weight management, no single diet is proven best for menopause weight loss. Some evidence suggests intermittent fasting may have metabolic benefits, but results on weight loss remain inconclusive.
What we do know, however, is that there are certain foods that a perimenopause and menopause diet should prioritize. The Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan to lose weight focuses on these nutrient-dense foods to support hormone balance and promote sustainable weight loss.
The menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight also delves into one of the biggest barriers to lasting weight loss results – the lack of adherence and not being able to stick to dietary and lifestyle changes. This is why understanding the changes causing menopause weight gain are essential in the menopause diet 5 day to plan to lose weight.
The menopause diet is about building the body up with the vitamins and minerals women need during perimenopause, menopause and beyond. It’s about shifting your food focus, and forming the habits for successful weight loss.
So let’s take a look at the best foods to eat in menopause and the menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight.
Calorie Control
Weight loss is more than counting calories, however, there’s no escaping the fact women need to be aware of how much they are consuming and understand their body’s changing energy needs.
The hormonal changes from the start of perimenopause result in a decrease in both the body’s energy needs and energy expenditure.
With reductions in basal energy expenditure, the menopausal body requires fewer calories to run on. Menopause women can also experience a decrease in total 24-hour energy expenditure by 9%.
Studies have found there can be a reduction in 24 hours energy expenditure of 200 calories a day.
The amount of energy used during sleep also decreases significantly with age and there is also a decrease in physical activity energy expenditure by around 30%.
This combination of energy and calorie needs could almost certainly lead to significant weight gain over time without changes being made.
Restricting calories is not without potential negative implications for body composition, so it’s important to be mindful what calories, (what foods) you cut back on. In an ideal world weight loss would be exclusively be from just fat mass (the main driver of metabolic disease), however, evidence shows that when cutting calories the body typically loses muscle mass too. This is where the importance of protein and resistance training can make all the difference (see below).
On a more positive note, and weight loss aside, calorie restriction does have it’s benefits. Limiting calories is one of the main nutritional measures proven to extend life span and improve age-related metabolic syndrome.
Focus on Protein
During menopause, there is an increase in fat mass and a decrease in lean muscle mass.
Protein plays a crucial role in preserving muscle mass and combined with resistance training is key to building muscle mass. By incorporating lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, tofu, and legumes, you can support muscle maintenance and boost metabolism.
Protein also promotes satiety, helping keep you fuller for longer and help reduce unnecessary snacking and calorie intake.
Protein is also the most thermogenic of the food groups (compared to carbohydrates and fats). Protein uses around 20-30% of calories during the nutrient absorption and digestion process.
On a side note, studies have found that for women with vasomotor menopause symptoms, (hot flushes and night sweats) that greater consumption of poultry can be associated with worse symptoms.
Include Healthy Fats
Healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, are essential for reducing inflammation and supporting heart health.
Healthy fats are also found in avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds such as almonds, and fatty fish such as sardines and mackerel.
These fats can also aid in hormone regulation, beneficial for managing menopausal symptoms and may help improve insulin sensitivity which is an important factor in losing weight and preventing weight gain.
Losing weight in perimenopause and menopause and maintaining a healthy weight post menopause can improve cardiometabolic disease risk factors, and consequently decrease cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality risks.
This is because fat tissue is the body’s largest energy storage organ and endocrine (hormone) organ, and plays a key role in the occurrence and development of age-related degenerative diseases and metabolic dysfunction.
Studies show that abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) accounts for about 10 to 20 percent of total fat mass in men and 5 – 8 percent in women. This tends to increase with age and it’s estimated that postmenopausal women have a 4.88-fold higher risk of developing abdominal obesity compared to premenopause.
These risk factors are compounded at menopause due to the loss of estrogen and its protective effects. This can trigger a cascade of metabolic and cardiovascular changes and increases womens cardio-metabolic health risks.
As CVD is the leading cause of mortality in women and menopause is an independent risk factor for CVD, the menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight can be a great way to start managing menopause weight gain and prevent obesity.
It’s important for women to get into the habit of opting for healthy fats over other fats as studies have found that saturated fat and cholesterol intake increased significantly in the years post-menopause.
Fill Up on Fibre: Opt for Complex Carbs
Studies show that around the onset of menopause there is a decline in women consuming several nutrients important in both satiety and body weight regulation, – these specifically include protein and fibre.
Studies have shown that fibre intake is the strongest independent dietary predictor of body fatness.
Fibre improves digestion, supports gut health, and helps regulate blood sugar levels, all of which are important for managing weight during menopause.
Unlike refined carbs, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables provide a steady release of energy and are rich in fibre.
Non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, brussels spouts, kale, broccoli and bell peppers; Legumes such kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils and black beans; Whole grains such as oats, barley, quinoa and brown rice are all low-glycemic nutrient dense types of food that can be very effective in helping improve insulin resistance.
Seeds such as Chia seeds and flaxseeds are also high in both fibre and omega 3’s.
Limit Added Sugars
An aging and menopausal body create the perfect storm for insulin resistance increasing. High sugar consumption can lead to insulin spikes and can result in increased fat storage, and particularly around the abdomen causing menopause belly fat.
Reducing added sugars in the diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce cravings, and promote weight loss and menopause belly fat.
Chromium is a mineral that helps regulate blood sugar, supports metabolism and help to maintain lean body mass so it makes sense to increase chromium in the diet with foods such as meat, nuts and cereal grains.
Chromium may also slow the loss of calcium and therefore an important nutrient for women as it may help prevent bone loss during menopause.
Prioritize Phytoestrogens
Studies show ovarian aging plays a role in body composition changes at mid-life and suggest that estrogen deficiency is associated with weight gain and that estrogen replacement is associated with weight loss (or less weight gain).
Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that mimic estrogen in the body.
Foods like soy products, chickpeas, and flaxseeds can help alleviate some menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and may support hormonal balance. Including these in your diet can also contribute to weight management by reducing fat accumulation.
Studies have recommended consumption of ½ cup (86 g) of cooked whole soybeans twice daily for 3 days.
Creatine
Creatine supplementation can be particularly beneficial for perimenopausal and menopausal women on the menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight.
Studies show post-menopausal females may experience benefits in muscle size and function when consuming high doses of creatine (0.3 g·kg-1·d-1); and favourable effects on bone when combined with resistance training. Evidence also indicate positive effects from creatine supplementation on mood and cognition.
Dairy products
Dairy products have the potential to optimize bone.12 Studies show dairy products provide more bone-beneficial nutrients (eg, calcium, magnesium, potassium, protein, vitamin D, etc.) per unit of energy than any other food group.13,14
Although dairy may not be suitable for all menopausal women. Dairy may be one to avoid for women with numerous or severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats). As an alternative, soy milk consumption has been associated with fewer of these types of vasomotor symptoms.
Herbs and Spices
Certain anti-inflammatory herbals and spices can also be great to include the menopause 5 day plan to lose weight, here’s why: Cinnamon may help lower blood sugar levels; Green Tea is rich in antioxidants that may help metabolism; Turmeric contains curcumin which may improve insulin sensitivity and Apple Cider Vinegar may help help lower blood sugar after meals.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods include yoghurt (unsweetened), kefir, kimchi & sauerkraut, miso and tempeh. These types of foods support gut health and also play a role in supporting insulin sensitivity.
Hydrate
It can sound obvious but many women are dehydrated without knowing it. Drinking enough water supports metabolism and can help curb hunger, making it easier to manage calorie intake.
Staying hydrated is also vital for overall health and can help manage menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and dry skin.
Sleep Foods
The menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight wouldn’t be complete without mentioning foods that can support sleep. Sleep issues are not only a common menopause symptom but numerous studies have linked poor sleep to increased calorie intake and weight gain.
Studies show that foods such as montmorency cherry, tart cherry juice, or tryptophan-rich foods such as turkey may improve sleep.
The Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan to Lose Weight
The best diet to lose weight at menopause is the one you can stick to long term.
Studies have shown that whilst different types of diet be it low carb diet, high protein, low fat or intermittent fasting can have certain benefits, the best type of diet for long term weight loss results is the one women can stick with.
The goal of the Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan to lose weight meal plan is to implement a diet you enjoy, a diet you can stick with, and a diet that incorporates a good variety of the above foods.
For inspiration here’s a sample of the Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan meal plan to lose weight and promote hormone harmony.
Day 1 The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt with chia seeds, sliced almonds, and fresh berries.
- Snack: A handful of walnuts and an apple.
- Lunch: Grilled salmon salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and olive oil dressing.
- Snack: Hummus with cucumber slices.
- Dinner: Quinoa-stuffed bell peppers with a side of steamed broccoli.
Day 2 The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
- Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with flaxseeds, a dollop of almond butter, and sliced banana.
- Snack: A boiled egg and carrot sticks.
- Lunch: Lentil soup with a slice of whole-grain bread.
- Snack: A handful of mixed nuts.
- Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with roasted sweet potatoes and sautéed spinach.
Day 3 The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach and avocado on whole-grain toast.
- Snack: Plain yogurt with a sprinkle of granola.
- Lunch: Turkey and avocado wrap using a whole-grain tortilla.
- Snack: Fresh fruit salad.
- Dinner: Baked cod with brown rice and a side of steamed green beans.
Day 4 The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
- Breakfast: Smoothie made with soy milk, frozen berries, spinach, and a scoop of Pretty Pea protein powder.
- Snack: A small handful of trail mix.
- Lunch: Grilled tofu stir-fry with mixed vegetables over quinoa.
- Snack: A hard-boiled egg and a few cherry tomatoes.
- Dinner: Grilled shrimp with zucchini noodles and pesto sauce.
Day 5 The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
- Breakfast: Cottage cheese with sliced peaches and a sprinkle of flaxseeds.
- Snack: Celery sticks with almond butter.
- Lunch: Salad with mixed greens, grilled chicken, avocado, and lemon vinaigrette.
- Snack: A small handful of dark chocolate and walnuts.
- Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and wild rice.
De-Bloat Recipe – The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
- 2 Tbs organic raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 cups Water (filtered if possible)
- 1 Tbs Freshly Grated Ginger
- Optional add Liquid Stevia for sweeter taste
Shake the mixture and keep in the fridge.
Or alternatively or supplement with Pretty Pea’s Apple Cider Vinegar supplement, it combines Chromium, Ginger, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Green Tea and Cayenne.
Chocolate Protein Dessert – The Menopause Diet 5 day plan to lose weight
Satisfy a sweet tooth and indulge in a delicious and nutritious with a vitamin enriched chocolate protein shake or smoothie with this quick and easy recipe:
- 1 small ripe avocado (optional)
- 1/2 cup berries of your choice
- 1 scoop Pretty Pea Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder
- 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt (optional)
- 1/4 cup of your preferred milk
No need to add any honey or sweetener, it’s sweet enough with Pretty Pea protein powder.
Blend the ingredients then cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. You can also freeze the mixture to enjoy as an alternative to ice-cream.
Please note, it’s always important to consult your GP before making changes to your diet & lifestyle and taking supplements.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start the menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight
Perimenopause hormone changes can start as early as in the mid 30’s and usually without warning. If you’re experiencing unexplained weight gain, or over 40, then there’s no better time to start making changes than now.
The benefits of managing menopause weight go beyond aesthetics – cardiovascular events, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, breast cancer risk, osteoporosis or urinary incontinence strongly depend on body weight, nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle decisions. Obesity and metabolic syndrome affect women during menopause 3 times more often than premenopause.
The Framingham Nutrition Study showed that women with a high calorie diet over a 12 year period, rich in fat, containing alcohol with less fibre and less micronutrients increased their risk of abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome 3-4 fold.
By making some changes to your diet now to include a calorie-restricted diet with elimination of fast foods and carbohydrates but rich in sea fish, and balanced with more protein, fibre and fruits and vegetables this is going to be protective against weight gain, obesity and metabolic disturbances. It’s always advisable to discuss any dietary changes or use of supplements with your GP.
How much weight do women gain in menopause?
Menopause weight gain is very subjective and average weight gain varies widely. Some women will gain a modest amount, estimated at 2.1 kg, others may gain around 1 pound per year, and around 20% of women gain 10 pounds or more. What is clear is that the degree of weight loss is largely dependent on the individual ability to stick to the menopause dietary changes and calorie deficit.
How much can I lose on the menopause diet 5 day plan to lose weight?
Setting a weight loss goal for such a short period of time is not realistic and can be counter productive to your efforts. Average sustainable weight loss is around 1lb per week. Menopause weight loss can be slower if there are other underlying issues too. Regardless of the particular dietary approach, any long-term weight loss and weight maintenance plan requires a reduction in energy intake from your baseline calories. This may be achieved by reduced consumption of fat and processed food, smaller portion sizes, and increased energy use.
No matter the approach taken, dietary changes must be safe, tolerable, affordable, nutritionally adequate and sustainable for long-term weight maintenance.
What is the best menopause weight loss supplement to take?
The best menopause supplement is the one that works for you. We are all unique. Different women have different symptoms, different hormone imbalances, lifestyles, medical histories, intolerances and sensitivities and so on, so no one should ever tell you they have the best supplement for you. At Pretty Pea we can advise what’s worked for our other menopausal customers, and Meno Weight is a popular choice for menopause weight loss.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight in menopause?
Many weight loss programs and menopause diet plans recommend in the region of 1500 calories, and macronutrient proportions in the region of 45% carbohydrate, 30% fat, and 25% protein. However, this is very general advice and not necessarily right for every woman. The most important thing for you is to reduce the number of overall calories YOU currently consume, without compromising the nutritional value of your food and ensure you’re getting sufficient amounts of protein and the recommended daily amount of fibre 25-30g. When increasing fibre intake do so slowly to allow the digestive system time to acclimatise and prevent the possibility of any temporary upset. By implementing these two changes alone you’re going to look and feel more in control of your body.
References
Weight gain at the time of menopause – PubMed
Can we say what diet is best for health? – PubMed
Obesity in menopause – our negligence or an unfortunate inevitability? – PMC
Increased visceral fat and decreased energy expenditure during the menopausal transition – PubMed
Sarcopenia and muscle function during menopause and hormone-replacement therapy – PubMed
Classification of obesity and assessment of obesity-related health risks – PubMed
Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective – PubMed
Weight loss response to semaglutide in postmenopausal women with and without hormone therapy use
Menopause 31(4):p 266-274, April 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002310
Menopause: Nutrition and weight gain – PubMed
Influence of dietary habits and Mediterranean diet adherence on menopausal symptoms. The FLAMENCO project
Menopause 27(9):p 1015-1021, September 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001574
Weight regulation in menopause – PubMed
Sarcopenia and muscle function during menopause and hormone-replacement therapy – PubMed
A dietary intervention for vasomotor symptoms of menopause: a randomized, controlled trial Menopause 30(1):p 80-87, January 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002080